The Queen, from "The Dance of Death"

The Queen, from "The Dance of Death" is a powerful woodcut created by Hans Holbein the Younger between 1521 and 1538. This print belongs to Holbein’s celebrated sequence of images illustrating the universal nature of mortality, a theme that captivated audiences across late medieval and Renaissance Europe. Although the final publication of the series was undertaken by others, the meticulous and detailed design work originated entirely with Younger. The delicate technique required for such small-scale woodcuts showcases the mastery of sixteenth-century printmaking, setting a high standard for contemporary artists working in the medium of prints.

In this specific vignette, the subject is depicted as a queen, shown in rich contemporary attire appropriate to her high status. However, the presence of a menacing skeletal figure, representing Death, undermines her earthly authority. Death engages the woman directly, pulling at her robes to lead her away from her throne or palace. A key iconographic element, the hourglass, rests prominently in the foreground, serving as an unmistakable memento mori and emphasizing the rapid, irreversible passage of time. This dramatic confrontation underscores the central theological message of the series: that death spares no one, regardless of power or gender.

This historically significant print is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, preserving a vital example of Northern Renaissance illustration. The enduring power of Younger's designs ensured that the imagery of the "Dance of Death" circulated widely across Europe. Due to the age and prominence of this influential work, many associated prints and high-quality reproductions are now widely accessible within the public domain, allowing extensive study of this iconic vision of mortality.